US-based cyclist Olivia Dillion took a rare double today in Sligo when she followed up her win in Thursday’s Irish time trial championships with victory in the women’s road race.
Following a long attack by Louise Moriarty (UCD), the Peanut Butter & Co. rider clipped away on the last of six 13.3 kilometre laps. She was joined soon afterwards by multiple champion Siobhan Horgan (ESGL 93), the only one strong enough to bridge across. Together they opened up a decisive gap and then Dillon scooped victory in the uphill sprint to the line. Fiona Meade (St. Finbarr’s) was third.
“I was going for both titles, so was very excited to come out with this after winning the time trial,” a satisfied Dillon said afterwards. “We had a good race in the time trial, it was pretty close. It was good to see a lot of people coming up and some strong competition. I didn’t know how it would go today, but I definitely wanted to get away before the finish.”
She said that the bunch rode well behind to bring back lone escaper Moriarty. After that, a few short-lived moves went clear, then she jumped clear alone. “I got away, then Siobhan bridged up to me a few miles from the finish. We worked together until the end as the bunch was pretty close by. I went for it after the hill, and just went all out until the line.
“I was fairly confident for the sprint, but you never know what can happen. Siobhan is a great rider, she has a lot of experience and I just put my head down and went as hard as I could.”
Dillon won the two races despite breaking a metacarpal bone in her hand last Sunday. She said that it didn’t really impede her in the race, with adrenalin helping to keep sensations of pain away.
Horgan was hoping to win her fifth championship but had to be satisfied with the runner-up slot. She had to take a break off racing in recent weeks due to a low iron count, but returned to racing earlier this month, placing an excellent third in the Poitou-Charentes French Cup race and then competing with the Irish team last week in Holland.
That helped her sharpen her form for today’s event, but it seemed at one point that Moriarty might steal the show when she opened a good lead. She went clear alone, built a strong advantage, and then Joanna Hickey (Usher IRC) and Rita Boyle (Slaney CC) made a bit effort to bridge across. Horgan admitted that she was quite worried.
“I was concerned, because nobody [in the bunch] seemed to be chasing Louise,” she said. “We had to try to organise a chase. Maybe about eight girls started riding through then; I knew that we would probably get her back, as it was one versus eight.
“After Louise was caught, I saw Olivia go and she had a gap of maybe 20 metres. Nobody seemed to be chasing her, so I knew that everyone else must be suffering. I said this is the time to go, and I jumped across to her then. We worked very well together…to be honest, I am happy it was me or who her won it, because I felt that we were probably the strongest in the race.”
Horgan led out the sprint from a long way out, attempting to make Dillon pass early and then give herself a chance to latch onto her back wheel and get by closer to the line. However Dillon was too strong for the tactic to work. “I really have needed to get a good jump on her to try to beat her in a gallop,” Horgan admitted afterwards. “She is used to racing in the States where there is a lot of crit races, so she would be used to sprints. I wouldn’t call that one of my stronger points. I was hoping maybe that I might get the jump on her, but she beat me well in the end.”
Meade had a very strong race and won the sprint for third. She proved quickest of the group of chasers which finished seven seconds back, and looks set for a strong end of season.
How it unfolded:
A strong lineup of 40 riders signed on for the women’s road race championships, which was taking place over six 13.3 kilometre laps in Collooney, Sligo. First to attack were Gillian McDarby (Usher IRC) and Rita Boyle (Slaney CC), who went clear after about four kilometres and opened up a lead of one minute 20 seconds by the time they crossed the finish line for the first time.
That gap waxed and waned, with Boyle looking particularly strong. They were eventually caught 20 kilometres after the start. Next to try was Francine Meehan (Tullamore CTC), who was reeled in soon afterwards, then last year’s runner-up Olivia Dillon (Peanut Butter & Co.) clipped away briefly. Other short-lived surges were made by Fiona Meade (St. Finbarr’s), then Dillon and Meehan together.
They were caught on the drag up to the line, giving Siobhan Horgan the chance to put her own bid in. She had a lead of several seconds starting the third-last lap, but by the halfway point of the race she had been brought back. Dillon was first to make the junction, then the other chasers also bridged.
Meehan clipped away soon afterwards, then was joined by Dillon and Caroline Ryan (Garda), then Horgan. However, like the others, this break was reeled in, as was a subsequent solo move by Hendron.
Just before the start of the penultimate lap, Louise Moriarty (UCD) jumped away built a very good lead.
Several kilometres later, Rita Boyle (Slaney CC) and Joanne Hickey (Usher IRC) set off in pursuit. They chased hard but were caught about a kilometre before the end of that lap. Moriarty had just sixteen seconds at the line, and was finally gobbled up by the bunch with about four kilometres remaining.
Orla Hendron (Orwell/Dundrum Shopping Centre) then tried her luck but she was pulled back by Dillon, who had jumped away from the bunch. She went past Hendron and continued on alone. Horgan recognised the danger and bridged across, with the two joining up approximately four kilometres from the end.
They worked hard together to fend off the chase for the bunch, and were together heading into the final 200 metres. Horgan jumped from a long way out, hoping that Dillon would come by her and she would latch onto her wheel, passing closer to the line. However the latter was too strong, blasting clear and finishing a couple of bike lengths ahead.
Horgan took silver, then seven seconds later Fiona Meade (St. Finbarr’s) led home the chasing group to take bronze. Wendy Bates (Lakeside), Claire Dallat (Carnegie/Caulfield) and Adrienne McCarthy (Limerick) were fourth, fifth and sixth in that sprint to the line.
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National road race championships, Collooney, Sligo:
Women’s event:
1, Olivia Dillon (Peanut Butter & Co)
2, Siobhan Horgan (ESGL 93)
3, Fiona Meade (St. Finbarr’s) at 7 secs
4, Wendy Bates (Lakeside)
5, Claire Dallat (Carnegie/Caulfield)
6, Adrienne McCarthy (Limerick)
7, Jenny McAuley (Bray)
8, Sarah Franzoni (Lakeside)
9, Geraldine Gill (Bohermeen)
10, Michelle Geoghegan (Moving Ladies)
11, Francine Meehan (Tullamore)
12, Heather Wilson (Maryland Wheelers) all same time